to the busiest month of my year. With the One of a Kind Show only a month away and fall/winter production in full swing, this probably is not the best time for me to start a new blog. But the creative flurry of this time of year is both stressful and stimulating – what better time to start sharing with my customers and friends some of the pressures, joys, and inspiring moments in the life of Red Thread.
My very first retail show was the Spring One of a Kind Show in Toronto, in March 2005. I made 100 dresses with the help of my very good friend Mel, cutting them on my kitchen table and sewing in a tiny back bedroom. Every dress was a labour of love, and as the show opened on the first day I was overcome by insecurity – would anyone like my work? Had the past several months of toil been for nothing? Within the first 2 minutes of the show I had my very first customer, who later became a good friend (what a nice coincidence!). Soon there were others, and as I continued to do the show, my customers grew exponentially, as did interest from boutiques and the press. Nearly five years later, my dresses are sold across Canada and in some shops in the U.S., and many of my earliest customers are still with me. Their loyalty and support drives me to constantly search for fabulous new fabrics and design more functional and beautiful clothing for the children in their lives. It’s a demanding, creative job, and I love it.